Beauty and the Beast
by 52wbending52
Summary: Shy reserved Tara Banks has stolen the heart of Marauder Remus Lupin during the Hogwarts Masquerade Ball, only Remus doesn't know what her name is or who she is. He is afraid she'll find out his secret and think him a Beast, and Tara is afraid she won't be the beauty he met at the ball. I own nothing.
1. Chapter 1

It was a rainy Tuesday when Professor McGonagall announced that an upcoming ball would take place for all fifth, sixth, and seventh years. And said ball was to be a masquerade ball. All the boys groaned and all the girls squealed in excitement.

"A masquerade ball! Sounds like fun," said Alice.

"Sounds annoying to me," mocked Lily Evans.

_I personally thought it to be like a romantic faery tale. Like Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, even Donkeyskin that chance and ability to be someone else and create a new identity. _

My mind wandered upon this topic for weeks, but not necessarily like the other girls. I was excited-yes! I secretly adore, as I call it, 'grown-up dress-up.' But I didn't focus much on the males who would attend the ball nor what the other girls at Hogwarts would wear. I already knew I'd stand out that night. Most girls would wear a certain popular style and I personally didn't like that fashion. I liked princess dresses and French buns and panty-hose. They liked curled hair and _high_ heels. To each his own. Or _her_ own.

I was so embarrassed to be this excited about a silly ball, but how many balls am I going to go to in my life? Not many.

By Charms I was able to inform my best friend about this Masquerade Ball.

"Elle! Guess what!"

"I don't know, flying buttresses!?"

"No stupid! There's going to be a masquerade ball at the end of this month!"

"What? Really? That'll be a sight to see."

"Yep! And you're coming!"

"Merlin No! No way am I going to some grope fest to be molested by drunk arse-holes! No way in hell, Tara."

"Please! Please!" I gave Eliza my best bug-eyed face and pouty lip.

"I'm not going."

"You're awful, Eliza."

"I know," she responded but added at the end, "I'll help you with the dress though."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"You better love me for this Tara."

"'Course!"

I might not have been able to get Elle to come with me, but I did get her blessing to go. It was strange for a Hufflepuff to not jump for joy over a ball, but Elle didn't like dances. Bad experiences with muggle dances, turned her off forever.

I did get the crazy sweetheart to help me with my weird gown tastes. This'll be great!


	2. Chapter 2

"Do you want blue or purple? Or pink? You'd look so cute in pink!" Elle was having so much fun with dressing me up. It was her inner Hufflepuff girlish attitude coming out at full blast.

"Um, purple. I love purple."

"Not pink?"

"Not pink. Purple." I laughed at us, "when did we become such stereotypical girls?"

"We deserve some selfish indulgence when we aren't studying our brains out or reading in the library."

Elle had a point there. All I ever did was read and paint and study, it was nice to do something entirely girly.

We were attempting to make my gown for the ball, whether we would succeed or not. I had no idea! Thankfully this thing called 'magic' exists. Thank Merlin, for magic!

Too soon the evening of the masquerade ball came, everyone was frantic in their seats at dinner. I was no exception.

"What are you so nervous about? The dress is finished, you have a mask, and you're going to have a ball!"

"Har har Elle. You crack me up," sarcasm drenched from my voice.

"But seriously, what are you so afraid of?"

"I'm afraid of being laughed at, being made a fool in front of everyone."

"You won't be a victim of some moron's prank in front of everyone, only in front of fifth, sixth, and seventh years."

"Thanks for the comfort, Eliza."

"That's what I'm here for. You'll be fine, Tara. You always have been, and always will be. Remember, people are stupid."

I laughed at that and she laughed with me. It's only your best friends that can bring comfort by teasing. The ones that are _qualified_ to tease you.

"Let's get started Tara, changing your whole appearance can't be done in five minutes."

I laughed at her tactics and followed her up to her dormitory; it was thankfully empty. Carrying everything we stumbled to the vacant girls' bathroom on the fifth floor. No one would use it because they'd all be getting ready in their dorms, and I didn't want anyone to know it was me.

"Let's do this!" yelled Elle. She never ceases to humour me that girl.

"What first oh gracious master of feminine stuff?"

"First we wash your face! Then make up, then under garments, gown, hair, and mask."

I washed my face while Elle started on tossing through the articles of clothing, even while I brushed my teeth for a good five minutes.

"Done!"

"Now, put the under skirt and silk stockings on, along with this corset."

I abided the instructions, not very gracefully though.

"Ugh! Damn stockings! Work damn stockings-Ugh!"

Elle was laughing hysterically because I fell over while trying to put the bloody stockings on. It was rather funny. I threw a slipper at her.

"Don't hit the teacher!"

"Fine! God! I'm terrible at being a girl!"

"Aren't we all?"

We both laughed like hyenas! I couldn't remember a better time with Eliza in the six years I've known her since first year.

"Okay, now the corset. You put it on and I'll lace it and pull it tightly."

We somehow made it through that obstacle of womanhood; corsets are evil contraptions.

The make-up part wasn't so bad though, I wore the muggle contacts instead of my clunky glasses. I admit that I thought I had pretty hazel eyes, the eyeliner and mascara really did enhance my already huge eyes. And the purple dress made the green part of my eyes stand out.

We both ended up having Elle's grandmother send us an old dress of hers' to wear. It was absolutely gorgeous! (dress would look like this art/The-Lady-Amalthea-Gown-366406402 the artist is highly gifted in her field the gown is _gorgeous_.) Apparently this was Eliza's grandmother's gown she wore at the ball where she met her husband, which only made the dress that more special and beautiful with such a rich history.

After finally getting the clothes on, Eliza and I tugged and flattened and defrizzed my messy brown hair into a French twist. So many bobby pins and wizard hair spray was littered on my voluminous curls of death.

At long last I was ready to go with my hair set, dress fitted, and mask on.

"Wish me luck!"

"Of course, Cinderella!"


	3. Chapter 3

I walked down the stone steps pretending to be a royal princess gliding towards the Great Hall disguised as a Ball room. My shoes clicked with each step of the silk slipper. _Click! Click! Click!_ The muffled sound echoed like a raindrop in a lake in the vacant hall. The gleaming rail was slick under my ringed fingers and white palm.

I was clearly one of the last coming down to the ball. And the only one coming alone to a ball. In that moment walking down the stone steps, one hand on the rail, the other picking up the skirt of my gown I felt beautiful behind a mask.

It was even more flattering when I entered the Great Hall surrounded by a few males' interest, something I could never get in my blue robes and messy brown hair. I could feel the red tinge resting along my cheeks and nose.

_If they actually _knew_ who I was I most likely wouldn't be receiving such attention._

I knew boys didn't hate me, but I also knew they didn't like me either. A tall man with dark hair and glasses outside his mask asked for a dance with me. I whispered out a 'yes' in a completely not seductive way but more like an embarrassed primary school girl.

I later realized said boy was the infamous James Potter. I was a bit slow that day. He was a pretty decent dancer even though he stepped on my foot a few times; I, however, was dreadful at the art of dancing trying to follow James' lead.

"If I may ask, why aren't you dancing with Lily?"

I nodded my head in the direct of the red headed beauty, talking to Alice, dressed in a baby blue eyelet gown buttoned over a blue slip. She looked gorgeous with the high buttoned neck line, long flowy sleeves, and a visible sweet-heart neckline from the slip with her blazing red curls cascading down her back.

"She told me to go to hell ten times already."

"Still you should ask her. She looks beautiful tonight."

"She's always beautiful."

"Tell her."

James stared puzzled at me as if claiming Dumbledore was a latina stripper. That is until a very handsome lad walked over to us standing awkwardly in the middle of the dance floor.

"Mind if I intrude, love?"

I was not able to reply by the act of the man, Sirius Black beginning to dance with James Potter. Hoots and calls were thrown to the couple as they tangoed to the Celtic music. I could not suppress the chuckling rising up in my throat. The gorgeous couple eventually broke up.

"May I have the pleasure of dancing with such a beautiful creature?" Asked Sirius Black bowing down as I went along with the act and curtsied.

"I would be honored, however I am a terrible dancer." I responded with a timid giggle, "I stepped on James' foot twice."

"Need no fear m'lady. I'll lead."

"Very well shining knight."

He spun me around a bit and I felt his hands roam farther down the corset ties of my gown. I reached back and removed his hands thanking him for the dance. I said I'd enjoyed his company, and I honestly meant it. He was a really good dancer whilst saying I was a lovely woman with a very small waist (I blushed beet red). He was rather charming and laughed along with my breathy chuckles, and he was just fun to be around.

"I suppose I'll see you around Mr. Black?"

"You can call me Sirius, love."

I smiled and walked off. All the dancing was tiring, enjoyable but tiring. I sipped my water glass with the hand modeling the purple ring I have. A certain sight caught my gaze over the rim of the clear glass. My advice to Mr. Potter had succeeded and now he spun Lily Evans. It was so breath-taking the way he looked at her, and how his eyes shined when she laughed. I personally didn't know Lily Evans very well, but everyone guessed she always had the hots for James Potter and was just very stubborn. This only confirmed the hypothesis. There was something special between them. The kind every girl wishes her boyfriend (or girlfriend) would express. To be somebody's world.

I smiled to myself and walked out onto the floor again. But I soon realized I needed someone to dance with seeing how this was a ball, I glanced around. It seemed that Sirius Black was chatting to a bloke who probably hadn't danced all evening. It was my duty to see that this poor bloke have at least one dance tonight.

I walked over to them, and Sirius smirked at me and I felt a lump rise in my throat.

"I see I have caught another bird, Moony."

The other boy in a mask and dingy robes just rolled his eyes.

"Back for more love?"

"Um, no actually. _No thank you_ that is. I came ask your mate for a dance… that's if you want. You don't have to. I don't want to be a bother, or force you to do something you don't want-"

"It's alright. I'll dance with you miss."

"Oh, thank you."

Sirius gave him a large pat on the back as he stood from his chair. Up close I saw scars littered over him, they were not unattractive, but not a 'turn on' so to speak.

"I must warn you. I'm not a very good dancer."

"Neither am I; I'll most likely step on your feet every other second."

He chuckled at this. It made me smile.

His hand was surprisingly gentle on my waist and the other hand calloused while gingerly holding my own hand. I felt pretty embarrassed with the gaping silence between us as the music played.

"Um, do you like the music?"

"The music? It's alright, I don't know much about music though."

"Oh, it's not that difficult really. I like the piano in this song, the rhythm sounds like 5/8 8/8."

He gave me a confused but amused expression.

"It's a type of rhythm. Complicated really. Not to say you can't understand it!"

"It's alright I wasn't offended. I'm guessing you like music quite a bit."

"Only a part of my identity. Along with art and literature."

Our swaying was becoming drifting as the conversations became longer and more engaged. I did infact step on his feet when he said something that excited me.

"You read Hans Christian Anderson too?! I thought I was one of the very few."

"I suppose I'm the other of those few."

"Do you like 'A Thousand and One Arabian Nights?"

"I've never read them. I do like The Brothers Grimm though."

"Well, Jacob and Wilhem are classics. What else do you like?"

"I suppose history is interesting."

"Except that History of Magic is a drag." That seemed to amuse the bloke as he chuckled silently at my choice of words, "but British and European history is interesting. India is also really cool."

"India?"

"Yeah, they are so unlike any other place in the world, diverse from China their neighbor. Such interesting religions still in use and fascinating culture."

"I should look into that."

"Sorry if I'm talking too much. I tend to do that when I'm excited."

"No need to apologize. It's not a bother."

"Thanks."

We continued dancing throughout the night. Sirius pulled him away for a few minutes for 'boy things'. Whatever that means. I was really liking this boy; he was interesting and smart and nice and liked books.

_And oh God! Get a grip on yourself, he's not going to like you and you know it _spoke my conscious.

But hey, a girl can dream right? Of course she can so don't argue.

I felt a blush glowing as I found myself in internal turmoil standing on the ball room floor like a fool. I quickly took a seat and drank a goblet of some of the magically appearing water. I gulped it down like a love-thirsty fool. Oh wait, that's what I was. While drowning myself in the beverage, a finger tapped my shoulder. I jerked and almost spilled my water down the front of my gown, like a highly trained lady.

I gulped the remaining in my mouth and turned to the tapper. It was Sirius, which was rather unusual. I'd never been so popular even in muggle preschool.

"My mate wants to take you to the gardens, but he's too wimpy to ask. If you snogged him he mightn't be so un-Gryffindor like."

I could not help blushing red and giggling like a school-girl at that. And when Sirius black turned around to the bloke giving a thumbs-up, I just laughed harder.

I stood up and walked over to the shy Gryffindor, as Sirius Black had described him, and whispered,

"Would you like to join me in a walk?"

"I would be delighted."

We both exchanged smiles and left for the gardens.

"I'm sorry about Sirius. He can never seem to stay out of others' business."

"It's alright. It was rather strange some of the things he said."

"What did he say this time?"

I threw back my head and laughed.

"So," I turned to him on the stone bench in the moonlight, "why did you want to get me out here?"

"Um, I—I wanted, um." He stuttered adorably, such a shame he won't like me once he finds out I'm the weird Ravenclaw.

"I was only teasing."

"Good."

"The moon looks pretty tonight."

"You like the moon?"

"Yes, it's sort of pretty. Like a less bright sun."

"It's a half moon tonight."

"Do you know how many moons Jupiter has?"

"No what is it?"

"I don't know. That's why I asked."

"Ah, I see. Well, I suppose you like the night."

"Yes, all seasons of the night too. Do you like the night?" I asked while staring into the half pie of the moon reigning in the violet sky.

"It's alright in the summer. Too cold in the winter though."

"Would you stargaze in the summer?" I turned to the masked man sitting next to me.

"I have a few times, but not very often."

"What else do you like?"

"I like chocolate."

"Hah! You sound like my kind of person. I love chocolate. Everyone in my family does."

"Nice to know we adore the same things."

"Does this mean I'll be able to get chocolate from you?" I asked while raising my eyebrows.

He chuckled softly and whispered in my ear, "Nope."

"Ugh!"

He pulled back with a grin.

"You look like the Cheshire cat with that grin the one from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Well Lewis Carroll _is_ off his knocker."

We both laughed at the author's insanity. Lewis Carroll really is crazy, just read his writings.

After we both calmed down from our laughing fits, he leaned in towards me. And kissed my cheek; I officially was given my first kiss. I blushed stronger than the colour of Lily Evans' hair.

I stood up and ran off calling behind me, "Good night! Good night sterling knight in shining armour."

"Wait! I don't know your name! Wait!"

But I ran away and into my dormitory before he could catch me.

I think I fell into a faery tale tonight.


End file.
